Chapter 43

It was well into the afternoon by the time McCock was asked to attend a meeting in the Marines' Mess Hall. He had in the meantime read all his reports and then wandered around "Vector" looking at things and generally getting in people's way. He finally gave up his meanderings after being, ever so politely, told to go somewhere else by a grizzled Master Chief in the engine room because he was a distraction. He retired to his quarters, booted up the small 'puter and began gaming some scenarios about possible enemy intentions. He was getting thoroughly annoyed because he could not envisage an enemy intent which did not result in some sort of friendly disaster unless the enemy proved not to be an enemy and he snorted disbelievingly when that thought popped up into his tired brain.

So it was with relief that he entered the Hall to be met by the shuffling of some hundreds of feet as the occupants stood. Slow waved him to join her at a raised dais which somebody (he later learned it was his personal staff) has put at one end of the Hall. He noted the activity in the serving area and spotted his personal staff flitting about down there probably preparing food. McCock waved them to sit,

"As you were."

At the top table on the dais were Slow, Harryfor Avers and Hugh Avers with Avers Alan, Colin, Tim and Des sitting against the side wall. McCock took the indicated seat and looked out over his audience. They were NAVY — in capital letters — of all ages except of the very young. He didn't think there was a newbie amongst the lot; there were — three - and each one of those was almost a super expert in his field of EW and Coms.

Slow began,

"Our new crew members, Commodore.

They are mostly Mountserrat Avers with some of their friends who had heard of what was going down They are on the beach involuntarily as RMN just haven't the hulls to use them.

When the ladies took Sujani back to the High Country, Alan and Colin visited their relatives. The Avers crew of "Shriek" on that Helena trip had kept in touch with them and over the past few months since we put in our own coms through the UVAs the contacts have deepened. The Mounty people had been muttering about things and considering coming down but didn't know how to go about it. Alan and Colin showing up got things going. Alan told Hugh who really went for it, basically made the plans while he was in GmBH and then put it to Harryfor who contacted me. I spun R2 off with us and collected this lot. All you have to do is to welcome them and then we will put them through a couple of days intensive indoctrination and then out to the ships."

"Welcome" started McCock "as you can see, I am well under the thumb of my subordinates and always do as I'm told.

Seriously, 119 (Reformed) has great need of your services.

However, I must make quite clear to you, what you are getting into.

Legally, 119 (Reformed) is a privateer fleet sailing under letters of marque. I am Commodore and your loyalty is to me personally — you are my household troops. My first loyalty is to 'mine' as I from time to time define it; but if you swear to me you are part of 'mine'. "Mine' extends to your families. It also covers various enterprises which I control but do not fully own; ownership is shared among what basically now forms 'mine'. You will be outside that ownership until we, the owners, decide otherwise. You could be defined as mercenaries. To my mind if you prove yourselves, and I have no idea how that might happen, I would look at bringing you in closer but that is not totally in my hands.

We are a fighting force and you will be expected to engage in combat. Subject to my previous comments, I am still loyal to the Mountserrat Crown, note, the Crown, not the nation. I cannot envisage a scenario where 119 will act against either the nation or the Crown but we are an independent force whose first loyalty is to 'mine'.

So if you can agree to those rather confusing terms; which I suppose simply translates into my house motto, "Mind your friends"; welcome aboard!"

Over the next few days, things were rather hectic with documentation, Sir Lancelot checking on 'jabs 'n stabs', briefings, kitting out etc. The material seamer's breaking down didn't help the kitting but fortunately, the new spacers mostly had brought their personal skinsuits. McCock wanted all of them in the stronger dark gray materials and over the next several weeks that was achieved. An assumption that all of them were medically 'fit' was made and proved to be the case as each personal chip attested to at least their discharge medicals from RMN.

McCock was called upon to give an overview of the threat environment starting with the events of TQO's Harbourian raid. There were shocked and tight faces as he detailed subsequent events which were not known to his audience. The assessment of worst case enemy intention was heard in stunned silence.